Aeroplane



E. H. ,EARLE.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. I920.

Mk1 9,8689 muted June 13,1922.

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E. H. EARLE.

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1920.

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Patented June 13, 1922.

INVENTOR. [Tl/HI! 19 E/FPLE caries.

ETHAN H. EARLE, 0F PQMONA, CALIFORNIA, .ASSIGNOR 01E ONE-HALF T0 GEQlR-GE E. l lllLLlG-AN, 0F LOS ANGELEQ CALIFORNIA.

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Application filed June 7, 1920. Serial No. 887,098.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, ETHAN H. EARLE, a

.citizenof the. United States, residing at P0- mona, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Aeroplane, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an aeroplane adapted to fly in a manner similar to aeroplanes at present in use, and also adapted to ascend and descend in a circle whose axis lies within the aeroplane, near the forward end of the fuselage.

An object of the invention is to give to an aeroplane a circular ascending and descending motion similar to that obtained with a helicopter, so that theaeroplane can take flight from and alight within a comparatively small area without an extended run and so that climbing and descent canbe easily effected.

Another object of the invention is to make provision for elevating or depressing of the tail and simultaneously effecting turning of the tail to the right or left by operation of tilting horizontal planes.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter. 7

The. accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of an aeroplane built in accordance with the provisions of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is anienlarged sectional elevation on line indicated by wm Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation from line c -:0, Fig. 1 of the control for operating the propeller blade angle-changing mechanism.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional elevation on line indicated by al -m Fig 6.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the aeroplane from the left of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one end of the wings, showing the control for the aileron.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan View of one of the propellers and its angle-changing mechanism, the forward bearing of the engine and a portion of the engine also being shown.

Fig 9 is an elevation mainly in vertical section on line indicated by av -w, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is an elevation partly in section on the irregular line indicated by a -m Fig. 8.

There is provided a fuselage 1 having a suitable landing gear, in this instance said gear comprising a frontframe 2 provided with ground wheels 3, and said gear also comprising a castor wheel 4 and its swiveling bracket 5. The forward end of the fuselage 1 forms a pilots cockpit 6 and connected with said forward end are upper and lower wings 7, 8. In this instance the invention is shown in the drawings as being embodied in a biplane, but it is to be understood that it can just as well beembodied in a monoplane or in a type of machine having more than two planes.

-Mounted on opposite sides of the cockpit between the wings 7, 8 are motors 9, the shafts of which are indicated at 10. The shafts project forwardly beyond the leading edges of the wings and are provided with propellers 11. In this particular instance the propellers are mounted in substantially the same positions occupied by the tractor propellers commonly in use, but it is to be understood that, if desired, the propellers may be positioned rearwardly of the wings after the mlanner obtaining in the pusher type of aerop ane.

In order to accomplish one of the principle objects of the invention,means are provided to change the angle of the propeller blades, and the construction is such that the blades may be rotated substantially 60" about their longitudinal axes so that either propeller can be operated as a tractor type or as a pusher type. The propellers and their angle-adjusting mechanisms are alike and therefore but one of the propellers and the angle-changing mechanism therefor will be described in detail as follows: The propeller blades 12 are mounted at opposite ends of a shaft 13 adapted to oscillate in bearings 14 of a U-shape propeller carrier 15 which is fixed to the outer end of the motor shaft 10, the forward bearing for said shaft being indicated at 16.

Keyed or otherwise fastened to the shaft 13 is a hub 17 having an-arm 18 which is pivoted at 19 to a rod 20. The rod 20 ing rin 24, the collar 22 having a running fit in t e ring. The ring 24 is pivoted at 25 to upper and lower bell crank levers 26 which are pivoted at 27 to a bracket 28 carried by the bearing 16. One of the levers 26, in this instance the upper one, is pivoted at 29 to an'operating member 30 which, in' turn is connected at 31 .to an operating lever 32 that is pivoted at 33 to a bracket 34 mounted on the wall 35 of the cockpit. The bracket 34 is provided with a toothed quadrant 36select1vely engaged by a detent 37 movably mounted on the lever 32. The lever 32 may thusbe held in difierent positions sothat the prothe Wings-are slightly convex on their und r surfaces and substantially fiat on their upper faces and the fore and aft edges are alike and since such construction-is well understood in the art to which the invention pertains. However, I at present deem it preferable to incline the wings upwardly toward their tips asclearly shown in F igl 2 so as to aid in proper balance in flight. The upper wing 7 includes movable surfaces indicated at 38 near its outer endsfor the purpose of changing the angle of inci dence of said surfaces for producing a lifting or depressing effect on the wing according to the positions to which the movable surfaces are adjusted. In the present instance the movable surfaces 38 are in the form of ailerons hinged at 39 to the wing. Tilting mechanisms 40 are provided for controlling the ailerons, but said mecha-' nisms are of any well known or preferred type and therefore need not be described in detail herein.

The fuselage 1 is provided at its rear end with a fixed horizontal tail plane 41, the

rear edges 42 of said plane being aslant forwardly and outwardly. In this instance the edges 42 extend substantially at angles of 45 to the longitudinal axis of the fixed tail plane. Hinged at 43 to the plane 41 and extending outwardl from the ed cs 42 thereof are tilting tail planes 44 which are operated by tilting mechanisms indicated in general by the character 45. In this instance each tilting mechanism 45 comprises arms 46, 47 projecting from the upper and lower surfaces, respectively, of the tilting plane and to said arms are fastened control lines 48, 49, respectively. The lines 48, 49 engage pulleys 50 fastened to the plane 41 and may be connected to any suitable control member such, for example,

gradually slow as those ordinarily employed for controlling the rudder and elevator of an aeroplane of the usualconstruction.

To operate the aeroplane, assuming that it is at rest upon the earth, the pilot will adjust the blades of one of the propellers so that the blades thereof will drive the air rearwardly and he will adjust the blades of the other propeller so that the blades thereof will drive the air forwardly, thus turnin the aeroplane about an axis that lies su stantially midway between the tips of the wings, or substantially within the cockpit. As the aeroplane rotates in this manner the tail describes a circle and the castor wheel 4 follows and supports the tail. As the aeroplane rotates'the forward edges of the wing portions on one side constitute the leading edges and the rear edges of the Wing portionson the other side constitute the leading edges on that side. The wings with their ailerons, thus, in effect, function like the horizontal propeller of a helicopter. I

When the aeroplane reaches a speed of to cause the aeroplane to rise from the earth the pilot will depress that aileron-adjacent the edge of the wing functioning at the time as the following edge, and he will. raise or tilt upwardly that'aileronadjacent the edge of the wing functioning at v the time as the leading edge. For exam le,

if the aeroplane be assumedto be rotating clockwise in Fig. 1, the aileron on the pilots left will be depressed and that on his right will be elevated. The aileron thus adjusted will catch the air in such manner as to cause the wings to rise in a small spiral: Still assuming, for purposes of description, that the aeroplane is rotating clockwise in Fig.

1, the tail plane 44 at the leading edge of the tail will be elevated and that at the following edge of the tail will be depressed, and these planes thus adjusted will catch the air in such manner as to cause the fuselage to rise on substantially an even keel.

After the aeroplane has risen to any alti-- tude desired by the aviator, if he desires to fly forwardly he will adjust that propeller which at the time is acting as apusher, so that it will function as a tractor the same as the other propeller This adjustment may be effected quickly, or it may be elfected slowly so that the areoplane will in its spinning or rotary movement. As the turning momentum decreases the aeroplane flies in ever widening clrcles due, at first, to the loss of turning power of the pro eller of which the blades are being adjustec from pusher position toward neutral position, and due thereafter to the increasing pull of said propeller as its blades are being adjusted from neutral to tractor or pull position. The tendency of the slowing side of the machine is to sink, and this tendency may be counteracted as much as desired by appropriate adjustment of either or both of the ailerons. After an interval of time, owing to both propellers functioning as tractors, the aeroplane will advance in a straightaway course.

In the forward flight of the aeroplane steering to right or left, and flying to higher or lower altitudes may be effected by operating the various controls in a manner well understood in the art to which the invention pertains. aeroplane to the right or left may also be effected by changing the angle of the blades of the appropriate propeller. If, for example, the right propeller blades be adjusted to decrease the pull, then the right end of the wings will be driven at less speed than the left end.

To cause the aeroplane to descendin a circle whose diameter is approximately 'no greater than the wing spread, adjustments in reverse order to those described for as-' cending will be effected by the pilot. It is clear that to dive both tail planes 44: will be rent angles, the invention in its broader 7 phases contemplates the use of any suitable mechanical contrivance for effecting reversal It is clear that turning of the of the pitch of the propeller blades and .maintaining of said blades in the different aeroplanes which, otherwise, are of any well known or preferred constructionsince the planes 44: may be operated simultaneously to effect vertical steering and singly to effect or aid inhorizontal steering.

I claim:

In an aeroplane, the combination of a wing, propellers at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the aeroplane, the plane of rotation of the propellers being normal to the path of flight, means to rotate the propellers, means to turn, the blades of one of the propellers about their longitudinal axes to positions the reverse of the blades of the other propeller to cause rotation of the wing in a horizontal plane as a helicopter, said wing having movable surfaces adjacent its ends, and means to adjust the movable surfaces to increase or diminish the angles of incidence of said surfaces while the wing is rotating to cause the aeroplane to rise or descend in circular flight.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 28th day of May, 1920.

ETHAN H. EARLE.

Witnesses:

GEORGE H. HILEs, L. BELLE WEAVER. 

